Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-03-27

neigh bOrS,
brisk old man named Alexander
Teller, who has been IN business In the
market sixty-oneVears, is the father ana
oracle OF the place, and Mr.. Grum, his
neighbor, in the butcher business, who
has been there only sixty years, regards
rather Teller with the respectful con-
slderation that dutiiul son shows his
father. AMOS j. CUMMINGS.
ii.
New York is really third class
town." disguised man of leisure an
nounced the other night In the Bruins
wick to circle OF congenial friends.
Here are SIX Of us with plenty OF time
and money, and anxious for amusement,
absolutely stranded. The only way to
pass the evening ia to sit around a table
in cafe and drink and gossip till bed
time. In city OF 100000 people there
Is absolutely nothing going on"
There are the theatres" yawned one
OF the listeners, YEARLY.
~ ou're right, there are the theatres.
ana mighty eDlivening field they offer!
A man may wedge himself into the
ofamped orchestra chair of theatre for
three hours, or be may pass the time in
drinking rum. Who cares to 20 to the
New York theatres more than once or
twice season? There's nothing new
that isn't bad, and the good things like
"Ermlnie," and Jim, the Penman," we
nave seen dozen times. The goody-
goody plays at Wallack's, and the trash
that prevails at the Standard cannot be
expected TO interest a man of the world.
L have Knocked about the fade OF the
earth as much as most men, and / tell
you that the action of the authorities in
closing up all the concert halls, prohibit
ing drinking where there is music and
falling with an iron hand on every show
that is not OF the Sunday school order has
mad the effect OF making this the duilest
town on earth. We are devoid of all
SUCH amusing and entertaining places,
for instance, as the cafes obantants OF
Paris, and the London music halls, where
man may go for an hours amusement
ana quiet smoke at any time, because
the police close them all out. But worse
than this, the boxing and wrestling
matches and all the old time light shows
nave been driven out. A man can have a
much better time IN Philadelphia than
here. Something Is going on constantly
there. l don't care to sit out Hazel
kirke' and only farmers Daughter
every night, but Pm a man with "a fond
ness for sport, and IN Philadelphia / can
see the best boxers in the country come
-
and comfortable theatre. In Boston there
are half q dozen amusing shows, and in
Chicago and New Orleans there is con-
5tant succession OF light entertainments.
I'm perfectly aware that they would not
come up to the high moral standard OF the
purlsts, but then "A big city should suit
the tastes of all people. Owing to the ef-
forts of the holy the city of New York
offers nothing in the way of amusement
except gin mills and stupid plays. For
eigners come here and stare at us in
amazement. Then they 60 away and tell
the truth about us, and we flush up and
feel aggrieved."
"What truthF
"Why, that New Workers are a set OF
greedy money-makers, so intensely in
earnest IN their avarice that they have
no time for the lighter things of life, but
concentrate all their energies in the fight
for wealth. In such a community the
sullen temper OF the people leaves its i'm
press on the town. Pm native of New
York, but | am less at home here than
any where else in the world Men talk of
nothing but money, and only care to drink
rum"
"A plant OF this sort is not unusual, nor
IS 1t entirely unwarranted. The provin-
cial spirit of prOpriety has got the upper
hand, and the saloons are more prosper
Gus than ever. The cutlery from the pa
pers and the pulpit and the efforts of
scheming politicians anxious to cater to
the church vote have all mad their effect.
A few years ago the series of big mas
querade balls offered no end OF amuse-
ment TO the million. They were some
times risky and wild, but not the orgies
they were represented. Thisyear the po-
Ice inundated them, and they were the
Etnni6pGf and ~
erly the Madison Square Garden drew
10000 people night to walking matches,
sprint races, bicycle tournaments, spar
ring contests, popular concerts, fairs and
many other forms OF entertainments, The
arrests by the police and the abuse OF the
press have driven them all out. Whether
deservedly so or not 1 do not pretend TO
say; am content to state the facts. An
effort was made short time ago TO estab-
llsh music hall here, where man
could drop In Tor an hour, smoke an after
dinner cigar and listen to good singing.
Several hu ndred thousand dollars were
expended, a beautiful building erected, and
the snow begun, A few days later arrests
and fines followed each other in quick
succession, and in u short ume the own
ers were ruined and tue building tenant
less. The law refused TO permit the sale
OF beer where there was music. The con-
cert hall was thoroughly respectable, no
women OF suspicious character were adj
United, and the music was of high order,
but 1t was raided just the same.
The police also refuse TO allow any door
to connect theatre lobby with IA cafe.
All the doors are locked, and theatre
gOers VINO wish TO smoke a cigarette and
take refreshing drink, after being
cooped up In a stuffy theatre for two
hours, must run out in the rain, snow or
blizzard and take roundabout route
through the street to yet to a bar that is
in the theatre building and within
foot or two OF the lobby. Many of these
theatre-goers are clad In thin evening
dress, and they run the risk of taking
heavy colds; but the law says the doors
must be closed, and they are closed. NeV
York ID getting too good. The sign is
Ominous. There will be relapse some
day, and then things VIII hum with
vengeance. BLAKELY HALL.
Death in IA Collision.